Chest radiography: heart failure: practice question

A Radiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Radiology · Chest radiography: heart failure

Sample item

Which chest radiograph feature supports interstitial pulmonary edema from left-sided heart failure?

AKerley B lines at the lung basesBA pleural line with absent peripheral markingsCUnilateral hilar mass onlyDA solitary cavitary upper-lobe lesion

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Kerley B lines at the lung bases

Kerley B lines are short horizontal peripheral basal lines caused by interlobular septal thickening in interstitial edema. Other heart-failure signs can include cardiomegaly and upper-lobe venous diversion.

Option by option

A. Kerley B lines at the lung bases (correct)
Correct. Kerley B lines are a classic interstitial-edema sign.
B. A pleural line with absent peripheral markings
A pleural line with absent markings suggests pneumothorax.
C. Unilateral hilar mass only
A hilar mass is not the usual diffuse edema pattern.
D. A solitary cavitary upper-lobe lesion
Cavitation suggests infection, malignancy, or other destructive disease.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is A, Kerley B lines at the lung bases. Kerley B lines are short horizontal peripheral basal lines caused by interlobular septal thickening in interstitial edema.

Why is "A pleural line with absent peripheral markings" not the answer?

A pleural line with absent markings suggests pneumothorax.

Why is "Unilateral hilar mass only" not the answer?

A hilar mass is not the usual diffuse edema pattern.

Why is "A solitary cavitary upper-lobe lesion" not the answer?

Cavitation suggests infection, malignancy, or other destructive disease.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Chest radiography: heart failure in Radiology. Other heart-failure signs can include cardiomegaly and upper-lobe venous diversion.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Chest radiography: heart failure?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.